


Unofficial Boyfriends

by nmichaelis



Category: Natsume Yuujinchou | Natsume's Book of Friends, 妖怪アパートの幽雅な日常 | Youkai Apartment no Yuuga na Nichijou | Elegant Youkai Apartment Life (Anime)
Genre: M/M, Teacher-Student Relationship, Yaoi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-17
Updated: 2018-10-17
Packaged: 2019-08-03 13:35:59
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Underage
Chapters: 10
Words: 12,719
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16327250
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nmichaelis/pseuds/nmichaelis
Summary: The slowly developing relationship between Inaba and Chiaki.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Syrum](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Syrum/gifts).



> Disclaimer: I do not own Youkai Apartment or Natsume Yuujincho.
> 
> I love Inaba/Chiaki shipping and there's not enough fanfiction about them although their scenes in the anime seem more intimate than Inaba/Hase scenes. Inaba is 18 here as he is already in his last term of Second Year. Chiaki might be a bit or a lot OOC here, but he is shown so little in the anime and only within his role as a teacher. So who really knows how he is with his boyfriend, right?
> 
> Please let me know if I need to improve some part. It was hard putting my imagination into words and I think some parts fell unnaturally.

The school gym was filled with noise of shoutings and Chiaki had to grit his teeth as his heart rate skyrocketed and a wave of dizziness hit him. He had expected complaints, even loud ones, but not an all out riot like this. Aoki-sensei was just fanning the student’s disapproval to unmanageable level with her usual unrestrained kindness. Chiaki didn’t mean to snap at the woman, but between all the hateful words aimed at him, his illness rearing its head and the out of control situation, he had lost his composure.

His eyes scanned the student body and landed on Inaba. The teen was one of the few who had stayed silent and frowning disapprovingly at the shouting students instead of the almost universally hated teacher standing at the podium. Chiaki drew courage from Inaba’s reaction. It was like an island of support in the sea of hateful intent.

Suddenly, Inaba turned his head ever so slightly and their gazes met. Chiaki almost jolted in surprise and immediately averted his gaze, feeling confusingly flustered and embarrassed.

A few seconds later, a loud, piercing whistle cut through the shoutings and brought complete silence to the gym as everyone was busy clapping their hands over their ears.

“Now, can we continue this assembly? I believe Kamiya-san has something to say,” Inaba suggested once he had everyone’s attention, voice quiet but heavy with reprimand.

With Inaba’s help, the assembly went back on track and it developed just as Chiaki had planned with Kamiya-san’s help. However, he had really underestimated how tiring it would be to have the school’s hostility on him afterwards. He felt like every eyes were glaring at him and every whispered words and muffled laughs were all mocking him whenever he walked the corridor. The rooftop became his retreat and if he secretly hoped to meet Inaba every time he went up there, he didn’t dig too hard on the reason why.

“Are you slacking off again?”

Chiaki opened his eyes and smiled at the person intruding his solitude. “Like you are one to talk,” he returned. Every student was supposed to be busy with preparation for the Culture Fair, after all.

Inaba shrugged with his perpetual air of nonchalance. “I’m taking a break.”

Chiaki tilted his head in confusion when Inaba didn’t immediately plopped down beside him like he usually would. Dark brown eyes were staring at Chiaki’s face with a growing frown before the expression smoothed out a few seconds later. Inaba finally moved to sit at his usual spot. Chiaki eyed him from the corner of his eye to see the other…pulled out a lollipop? There the soft rustle of plastic as the wrapper was slid off. Chiaki was so focused on the candy that the next thing he knew, his wrist was held in a vice-like grip just as he was about to take a drag of his smoke. Chiaki blinked and followed the hand to the teen beside him.

“Wha…?” Chiaki couldn’t manage to get out the question when something hard and round was pushed into his opened mouth. The artificial sweetness of candy spread in his mouth as he half-coughed half-choked on the unexpected intrusion. It was the lollipop Inaba pulled out earlier. Chiaki threw a wide-eyed questioning look at his student when he saw said student holding a still burning cigarette, his cigarette, which had disappeared from between his fingers without his notice. “Oi! Give that back!”

Inaba moved it out of reach and put it off with the tip of his thumb and forefinger. “You have been smoking increasingly often. It’s not good for your health,” he said calmly. He put what remained of the stick in a small plastic bag like the ones Chiaki used.

Chiaki winced at the veiled rebuke and dropped his gaze to his lap. Inaba was right in his observation. Chiaki had finished a pack in two days where normally it could have lasted for 4-5 days. Not only that, he had been experiencing dizzy spells and chest pain more frequently too. Still…

“You don’t have to worry about me.”

“Someone has to. You always push yourself so hard for everyone’s sake,” Inaba countered.

Chiaki opened his mouth, closed it, and stared up at the sky instead, heart fluttering wildly inside his ribcage. A few minutes later, his chest twinged with the first sign of pain and he bit down on the lollipop stick.

Not good.

Why did it have to be now when Inaba was here?

I don’t want him to know, Chiaki thought desperately, very careful not to show any sign of pain.

Inaba sighed and stood up. “I better go back. What about you?”

“I’ll get a bit more fresh air.” Chiaki closed his eyes with relief as Inaba walked the short distance to the ladder, but opened them again when there was no further sound of steps. He looked at his student with growing confusion when Inaba continued to stare at his chest with a strange intensity. “What?” he asked.

Instead of answering, Inaba knelt in front of him and placed a hand on Chiaki’s chest. “Don’t move,” Inaba said without looking at his face.

Chiaki stared at the teen with wide eyes. Inaba was close, too close. Chiaki could smell the other’s shampoo, the fragrance of musk and sandalwood. His cock stirred with interest inside his pants and he called out with a strained voice, “Inaba…”

“Be quiet.” Inaba slapped a hand over his eyes and Chiaki had to hold back the shivers of pleasure the action inadvertently caused.

When a minute passed by without Inaba moving an inch, Chiaki had had enough and grabbed hold of Inaba’s wrist. “Stop that!” And wasn’t he glad his voice came out stern instead of quivering with need.

Inaba’s eyes blinked open in surprise, dropping once again to Chiaki’s chest before resting on his face. “How do you feel?”

That was when Chiaki finally noticed the absence of pain in his chest. He stretched his body with wonder. He felt…healthy. The tiredness and cold had also disappeared from his limbs.

“My body suddenly felt lighter,” Chiaki muttered and then shot Inaba a suspicious look. “What did you do?”

Inaba smiled mysteriously, eyes unusually guarded, and quipped, “Magic.”

Chiaki huffed, hiding the sliver of hurt at being lied to. “You don’t have to lie to me. I can accept if it’s a secret, you know.”

Brown eyes softened, but Inaba didn’t say anything else regarding his secret healing skill. Instead he asked, “What is it, your illness?”

Chiaki dropped his gaze and smiled deprecatingly. “Well, it’s nothing bad.”

In the end, he told Inaba everything about his anemia and how stress and exercise could make him drop. Also about his thin blood and how a small wound could be fatal to him because the bleeding just wouldn’t stop which in turn just exacerbate his already low red blood cells. He had medication for his anemia, but it didn’t seem to help when he was under a lot of stress like he had been for the past few days.

“And you told me not to worry,” Inaba said lightly, too lightly for the storm building in his eyes. Those brown eyes narrowed as a sweet smile stretched over thin lips. “You will tell me if the idiots downstairs disturb you, won’t you?” The question practically dripped with poisoned honey, with razor sharp blade hidden inside.

Chiaki gaped even as his cheeks flushed with pleasure at Inaba’s blatant protectiveness. This was the first time he heard the teen used a rude word. Inaba was usually polite to a fault even with someone he didn’t like and never talked badly about anyone even behind their back.

 “Please don’t get in trouble on my account,” Chiaki pleaded earnestly. “I don’t want you to get in trouble.”

Inaba sighed and smiled ruefully. “I won’t. I promise. So please wipe that worried look from your face.” He stood up then and reminded one more time, “And don’t smoke too much, okay?”

“Yes, yes,” Chiaki said defeated, but a smile tugged at his lips, “Go, then, before Tashiro has to search for you.”

Once the door to the rooftop swung closed, Chiaki exhaled a long trembling breath as all the reactions he had pushed down bubbled to the surface. He was shivering all over, his brain almost melted with sensory overload as his imagination ran rampant. Every breath he took was filled with Inaba’s musky scent, low, gentle voice drifted into his ears like an intimate caress, and ghostly fingers brushed over his nipple. To his mortification, his cock hardened with his lustful thoughts, an obvious bulge forming in his pants. Chiaki clenched his eyes shut and shook his head, trying to think of something else besides Inaba, his barely-of-age, 15-years-younger student, but it was futile.

“A-ah! Nngh…” His breaths came out laboured until white flashed behind his eyelids and with a sharp cry of Inaba’s name, his body slumped boneless. His eyes opened slowly and he stared at his hand covered by white viscous liquid, the opened zipper of his pants, and his limp cock with traces of the same whitish substance, the evidences of his indiscretion.

“S-shit, coming with barely being touch at all, I’m not a hormonal teenager anymore…” Chiaki whispered. His eyes burned with incoming tears, because there was no way Inaba returned his feelings. Inaba was the type to be kind to everyone, but especially to those he cared about and somehow that included Chiaki. And Chiaki just had to complicate things by developing feelings for the teen…Above all though, he feared Inaba’s reaction if he knew. Just the thought of Inaba drawing away from him in disgust sent a fierce pain through his heart. “Please, don’t let him find out,” Chiaki prayed to whatever God would listen to him.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Inaba's POV

It had been almost two years since he entered this school and started living in the apartment filled with yokai. He never thought he would ever deal with the supernatural world ever again, not after Seiji-sama cut him out of the Clan and gave him the contact lenses to obstruct his Sight and sealed most of his spiritual power. That was almost half a decade ago now, but the memory of their parting was still fresh in his mind. It was winter back then too, he remembered nostalgically as his now brown eyes gazed up at the falling white flakes above him.

_“You understand why I have to send you away, right?”_

_Seiji-sama wasn’t looking at him, staring instead at the beautiful garden where the pond had frozen solid and the ground was covered in snow. His master looked relaxed but he knew better. Master could never looked him straight in the eyes whenever he lied and right now he was very upset and hid it behind his usual uncaring smile._

_He smiled sadly but was careful to keep it out of his voice. “Yes, Seiji-sama. I heard you have been impossible to live with this past week,” he said with false cheer._

_The news was something he had heard secondhand. Because he hadn’t been by his master side then, laid low by a youkai attack that had blindsided his master. He was in a coma for a week. The servants all told him the same thing though, Seiji-sama had been furious beyond anything they had ever seen. Humans and youkai alike hadn’t dared to approach the young Clan Head unless they really, really had to._

_“Then, as the current Clan Head of the Matoba Clan, I, Matoba Seiji, release you, Inaba Yuushi, from the contract binding you to this Clan. Your position as Personal Guard will be revoked and you are to leave the Clan grounds within 24 hours. Furthermore, to keep the secrets of the Matoba Clan, a seal will be placed on you at the discretion of the Head of the Clan.”_

_“I understand, and I accept,” Inaba intoned solemnly._

The seal placed on his power were in the forms of a pair of brown contact lenses and a simple ring with faint engravings, both things could be easily taken off whenever he wanted. He just never wanted to. There hadn’t been anything he needed to protect using his spiritual power. The Petit Hierozoicon could be sustained with the little bit of his power remained outside the seal.

Inaba stepped into the apartment entrance where Hanako greeted him and headed straight to the dining room. He had asked Ruriko-san this morning to prepare bento for his class as they would be working through the night for the festival tomorrow. The dining room was still decorated like a festival ground when he entered, just like this morning. Inaba ignored it with the familiarity of someone used to yokai antics and focused instead on the stack of bento boxes on one of the tables.

“Eh, you are going back to school?” Akine asked confusedly as she watched Inaba wrapped the boxes in red furoshiki cloth.

Inaba smiled at the young onmyouji as he answered. He was truly grateful Akine was kind enough to spend her time teaching him spiritual things beyond fighting yokai. Spiritual healing, how to transfer injuries and illnesses into oneself and on to another object, was something he was particularly interested in.

His mind flashed to Chiaki back on the rooftop, face pale, lips twisted in a pained grimace, and dark aura gathering around his chest. The sight had triggered feelings he thought was only reserved for his master and he realised then. There was another person he wanted to protect with his life.

There was a low risk of yokai attack here though, not enough powerful yokai wandering around to cause trouble this close to central Tokyo. For now, he just had to keep an eye on his teacher’s stress level and make sure the stubborn man live a healthy enough lifestyle. That was why he was walking through the dark corridor to the faculty room with a bento in hand.

The windows showed the preparation going on below and Inaba felt a genuine smile curved his lips. It was always interesting to experience normal school activities. There was no rigorous training that left him so tired he fell asleep the moment his head hit the pillow, no memorising long chants and complex diagrams that caused a headache at the end of the day, and no intense competitiveness that sowed suspicions and sabotage between the apprentices.

This, this was…fun.

Just as Fool zipped out of his pocket, to no doubt offer another of the Petit’s pretty much useless service, Inaba felt a malicious aura coming from a nearby source.

The Faculty Lounge, he realised with horror.

“Chiaki!”

Inaba skidded into the room just in time to see a girl raised a cutter high in the air and Chiaki sitting in the chair in front of her with his left arm bleeding. Before the cutter descended, Inaba was standing between the girl and Chiaki, his hand holding the girl’s wrist tightly enough for her to drop her weapon. The cutter fell to the floor with a dull clatter. Inaba then knocked the girl out with a chop to the back of her neck and let her dropped in another chair.

“Chiaki!” Inaba called the name desperately, fingers digging almost hard enough to bruise into Chiaki’s wrist to feel his pulse.

The older man was already half-unconscious, his eyes closed, pallor terribly pale, and pulse fluttering weakly beneath his skin. There was the dark aura of illness over his chest, this time much darker and thicker than the one on the rooftop, and it was spreading. The damage was too much for what little spiritual power he had at his disposal, when transferring just the bit from the rooftop had caused him to collapse afterwards.

Inaba let out the panic with his next exhaled breath and his mind cleared. The band of metal that rested around his right ring finger slid off for the first time in four years. He placed his hand over Chiaki’s chest and focused on transferring the damage, first into himself, and immediately after into the jade beads bracelet wrapped around his left wrist. Slowly, one of the small beads turned dark, and then another, and another. By the time he was done, six of the beads had turned black like obsidian, tainted by the negative energy of the illness. That was almost half the total number of beads on the bracelet.

“Master, you put a seal on your power?” Fool asked with a tone that was a mix of curiosity, wonder, and irritation.

Inaba sighed. Of course his familiar would have felt the power surge and asked about it. “Fool, you are not to tell anyone about this,” he glared at the glowing spirit with a smile that was all teeth, “That’s an order. And you better follow it if you want me to continue using the Petit.”

Fool seemed to wilt and answered in the affirmative with a dejected tone.

Inaba smiled more genuinely. “Good. Thank you, Fool.”


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chiaki's POV

Chiaki opened his eyes slowly and winced at the sudden brightness.

Had he fallen asleep?

“Chiaki?” It was the voice that had visited his dreams every day this past week. A voice that sent shivers through his body.

“Are you cold?” A gentle hand touched his shoulder and Inaba’s concerned face suddenly filled his vision.

Chiaki jerked his body backwards trying to move away from his student, mortified to be caught daydreaming by the object of his affection.

“Here,” Inaba offered his black gakuran with a smile, “You can use this if you’re cold.”

“No, no, it’s alright. Why are you here though? Sorry, did I fall asleep?”

Inaba took a step back, a thoughtful frown on his face. “You don’t remember?”

Remember, what? Chiaki looked around the room searching for the last thing he remembered and his gaze fell on something behind Inaba. A dark-haired girl was slumped on the chair. Chiaki blinked. She…came here, didn’t she? He had stood up to address her when he noticed something gripped tightly in her hand.

Chiaki gasped. His eyes flew opened, one hand flying to his arm where cutter had bitten into his skin earlier, but there was only smooth skin instead of bleeding wound. He looked down and saw a cut in the fabric of his sleeve with traces of blood at the edges, and a small pool of blood at his feet.

Realisation flashed like quicksilver and he looked back up at Inaba who was watching him with guarded eyes. He smiled wryly. “Magic, huh?” He might believe it this time. “You know, my family hired exorcists sometimes. I’ve never believed in the supernatural though. Maybe I should change that, eh?”

Inaba stared at him for another few seconds before explaining quietly, “It’s spiritual healing. I transferred the negative energy from your illness into another object and replaced it with my own. Normally, I would need a chant for the transfer, but apparently our bodies are compatible enough not to need it.”

Chiaki didn’t hear the rest of the explanation as he was too busy keeping his mind out of the gutter after the word ‘compatible’ passed Inaba’s lips.

A soft whimper cut off the flow of Inaba’s words and snapped Chiaki back to the present as it reminded them of the other presence in the room. The girl who had attacked Chiaki was regaining consciousness.

“Good evening.” Inaba’s voice was perfectly pleasant, unless someone was perceptive enough to hear the undercurrent of steel beneath it.

“Wh–”

The girl looked around in confusion for a moment before her eyes landed on Chiaki. Realization and hatred immediately gathered in her eyes. Chiaki tensed in his seat, but then relaxed when Inaba shifted to stand completely between them, covering the girl from Chiaki’s sight.

“Did Aoki get you to do it?” Inaba asked coldly.

“Haruka-sama would never request that!” The girl refuted vehemently.

“Haruka…sama?” Inaba muttered, sounding as incredulous as Chiaki felt.

The girl continued with her rant for awhile and Chiaki actually felt hurt that someone hated him enough to attack him just because he spoke up against Aoki. Slight movement from Inaba caught Chiaki’s attention and his eyes widened when Inaba picked up a cutter wrapped in white handkerchief from the table.

“If I show this to the other teachers during one of their meetings, you know how they will feel about Aoki then, right?” Inaba asked sharply.

There was a soft gasp and the girl immediately pleaded, “No, anything but that! Haruka-sama doesn’t know anything! This doesn’t involve her! Don’t do it!”

Inaba obviously expected the girl’s response as he was quick to reply, voice quiet but deadly, “Then stay away from Chiaki. Just cling to Aoki, and don’t cause trouble. Better to warn your friends too.”

Chiaki should reprimand Inaba for threatening another student, but there was only warmth and safety spreading from his chest. Inaba’s protectiveness also caused dangerous hope to bloom in his heart.

“So, why are you here in the first place? Aren’t you still busy with preparation for tomorrow?” Chiaki asked once they were alone. The girl had scrambled and ran out of the room after Inaba had thoroughly put the fear of the Devil in her. Now with only the two of them, Chiaki was feeling flustered.

“Oh!” Inaba suddenly moved towards the door and picked something up from the floor. When he turned around, there was a box wrapped in purple furoshiki held in his hand. “I brought this earlier since I’m sure you haven’t got dinner yet. Sorry I dropped it, but it should still be good.”

Chiaki accepted the bento with quiet thanks and thought helplessly, ‘This guy will be the death of me. How is it I’m still falling deeper?’

A hand on his shoulder dragged Chiaki’s attention back to Inaba and his eyes widened at the soft, teasing smile on the teen’s face. “Next time someone come at you with a weapon, just run, okay? And-”

The rapid shutter of a camera interrupted whatever it was Inaba was going to say. Chiaki’s head snapped towards the door, his blood running cold at the thought of someone catching him staring at his student with a smitten expression. He gulped when he saw Tashiro in the doorway, her phone held up with the camera in their direction. The girl had a Cheshire cat smile on her face. There was a heartbeat when none of them moved, and then Tashiro was dancing away from the room with a happy squeal and giggle. Inaba tore out after her in the next second.

And so the festival preparation continued well into the night. Chiaki stayed in the Faculty Room gazing out the window, thinking about what he was going to do at the end of the festival. It had been hard to refuse Kamiya when the girl had begged on her knees, but what had made him agreed in the end was Inaba’s involvement.

After the festival and his small concert, the student body completely changed their opinions of him. And yet, he couldn’t feel happy about it. Not when it cost him his rooftop meetings with Inaba. It was the day after the festival that Inaba met him on the roof like usual. He had been waiting to talk to Inaba again and when the familiar head of brown hair had appeared over the ladder, he had been delighted. By the end of it though, he wished he hadn’t come to the rooftop at all.

_“You’re really popular.”_

_“Shut up. I don’t know how Tashiro managed to find something from six years ago,” Chiaki said exasperatedly._

_When Inaba asked why he did it, he told him only part of the truth and quickly diverted him with another topic. He told Inaba about the last performance in his old school and the reactions from it. Contentment flowed through him when Inaba laughed at the fact he was propositioned by a lot of guys._

_“Well, that’s certainly different, wasn’t it? They must be smitten by your lovely voice, and I guess you are pretty enough,” Inaba said with a small grin._

_“Oi! How can you call such a handsome specimen, pretty?”_

_“Seriously though,” Inaba said as the smile slid off his face, replaced by a regretful look that caused Chiaki’s heart to constrict with trepidation, “I think we should stop meeting like this. It might seem inappropriate if other people know and I don’t want anyone to question your integrity.”_

_Chiaki felt like someone had squeezed the air out of his lungs. He opened his mouth to say something, any reason to reject Inaba’s ridiculous suggestion, but stopped halfway when nothing came to mind. Inaba’s words echoed again and again in his mind, filing his head and stealing his ability to think clearly._

_“It is for the best,” Inaba told him as the teen prepared to leave._

_The best for whom?! Chiaki wanted to ask._

_He wanted to cry, to rage, but no word passed his lips. And then Inaba was gone_.

It had been almost a week since the last time Chiaki met Inaba on the rooftop and true to Inaba’s words, the teen hadn’t come up again. Chiaki had been waiting on every break and lunch time. The only times they met anymore was in class and in the corridors. Even then, he was usually mobbed by other students and only able to meet Inaba’s gaze from afar. It was hard not to resent his sudden surge in popularity.

Chiaki’s only hope was that Inaba would change his mind after winter break. It started in a couple days. Surely, the break from school and the holiday cheer would lessen Inaba’s ridiculous worry. Chiaki would talk with the teen once school started up again.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Inaba's POV

Winter break was over and the returning students were chipper with post-holiday cheer, sharing their holiday activities and New Year’s resolution with friends. Inaba listened to Tashiro as they walked down the corridor to class. He had told her that his own break had been spent mostly working and attending Christmas and New Year parties in his apartment. It definitely sounded boring, but he couldn’t exactly tell her that he had a peek into the future and built snow huts. Those were stories fit for delusional and schizophrenic patients.

Classes went slow on the first day. The teachers were more relaxed after a bit of break from headache-inducing children. There would be no club activities for the first week.

Still, Inaba didn’t let off with his studies. He had a lot on his plate with his part-time work, spiritual training, and physical exercises to keep his body in top condition. Besides, academic studies were a good distraction from unnecessary mental wanderings that featured the two people most important to him.

He was on the way to the library when a familiar and much missed voice called his name.

“Inaba, can we talk for a minute?” Chiaki jogged across the lawn towards him.

He sighed, but stopped walking to wait for Chiaki. However, a quick scan of Chiaki’s face showed unhealthy paleness and tired eyes. And when the man was closer, a more thorough check showed signs of weight loss as the dark shirt hung slightly loose on Chiaki’s body. Worry flared in his gut. It didn’t look like symptoms of anemia, but more like prolonged stress.

The term just started two weeks ago, what could be stressing him so much? Personal problems? He looked much worse than at the end of last term, after the general assembly debacle, Inaba thought worriedly.

He had been avoiding Chiaki since term started, so the man’s current condition was a shock to him. He hadn’t wanted anyone to notice the inappropriate fondness he held for his teacher. Anyone could have seen it in his gaze, just like he could see it in the photo Tashiro had taken in the Faculty Lounge. Chiaki was too good a teacher to face a scandal involving inappropriate relationship.

But to think his avoidance had made him blind to Chiaki’s worsening health when he had promised to take care of him…

Unforgivable.

“Are you–” Inaba was cut off when Chiaki just grabbed his wrist and dragged him along.

Inaba let Chiaki led him to the back of the gym. The grip around his wrist was hard enough to bruise, but he didn’t complain. Chiaki was obviously angry, a rare sight, and he didn’t want to make things worse. When they finally stopped and Chiaki let go of his wrist, none of them said anything for a minute. Inaba was waiting for Chiaki to say something and Chiaki seemed to be reigning in his anger, his hands clenched and unclenched at his sides.

 “You have been avoiding me.” The statement was said in a flat tone that signified carefully regulated speech.

“…Yes.”

Chiaki whirled around to face him and Inaba was immediately arrested by angry violet eyes glistening with unshed tears.

“Why…? Did I do something?! You don’t want us to meet privately, that’s fine! Just…don’t shut me out…please…” Chiaki was begging by the end, his voice a strained whisper.

Inaba felt his resolve wavered and crumbled in mere seconds. He hadn’t expected Chiaki to be so affected by his avoidance and he had the disquieting suspicion that Chiaki’s apparent stress was caused by him. He had to fix it.

Ignoring the twinge of pain from his wrist, Inaba reached for Chiaki’s hand and pulled him closer. Chiaki went along willingly and rested his forehead on Inaba’s shoulder. Almost immediately, Inaba felt warm wetness of tears spread from the point of contact as Chiaki’s shoulders shook with little tremors.

He spent a second to think of the consequences if someone caught them in such a compromising position, but quickly kicked the idea of putting more distance with the distraught man in his arms. Instead, he discreetly created half a dozen paper shiki for surveillance purpose. Their creation didn’t take much spiritual power, doable even with the seal still on. They would at least warn him of someone’s approach. And then he waited for Chiaki’s tears to subside.

Several minutes later, Chiaki finally took a step back and brushed a sleeve over his eyes. His eyes were red-rimmed, Inaba noted regretfully.

“I’m sorry I cried on you,” Chiaki apologised hoarsely.

“No, I’m sorry I made you cry,” Inaba said earnestly.

“Are you…going to continue avoiding me?”

Just looking at Chiaki risked exposing his feelings for others to notice. And yet, complete avoidance had made Chiaki upset, so upset he had neglected his health and broke down after two weeks. As he pondered over what to do, he noticed the growing disappointment in Chiaki’s eyes and it made the decision for him.

“No. No, we can meet on the roof like before. I will come by during lunch break whenever I can get away from Tashiro.” He could put up a simple warning system and some talismans to discourage people around the stairs leading to the roof. The whole set up shouldn’t need too much power. The talismans would have to be put up every time he came up and taken down when he returned to class, but it would lessen the chance of people coming up to the roof.

It wasn’t without risk, but the smile lighting up Chiaki’s face made it worth trying. It was a very pleasant smile. The warmth pulsing in his chest reminded him of the times he managed to make Seiji-sama laughed. It was a similar feeling, but somehow different.

“On one condition,” Inaba added seriously and Chiaki looked nervously attentive, “You have to take care of yourself properly, don’t miss eating or sleeping, and don’t smoke too much. You’ve lost some weight, haven’t you? And you looked like a slight breeze will topple you over.”

“Okay, okay, I understand. Geez, you are such a mother hen,” Chiaki grumbled but Inaba noticed the quick, relieved smile on his lips a moment before it was gone.

Inaba asked quietly, “Chiaki, was it because of me?”

The silence was an answer in itself and Inaba swallowed down the guilt rising like bile in his throat. “Please don’t let your health deteriorate just because of me,” he pleaded sincerely.

“That’s not something I can control,” Chiaki muttered. “It’s just that I didn’t have the appetite to eat anything even when I know I should, and I couldn’t fall asleep even when I had closed my eyes for hours. I felt anxious, constantly. And…I–”

Inaba didn’t know what Chiaki was going to say as he cut himself off suddenly and a light blush highlighted his pale cheeks. Chiaki shook his head and violet eyes stared fiercely at Inaba. “A-anyway, I will try eating more and get some rest. I will be waiting on the roof every day.”


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chiaki's POV

This week’s family gathering had quite an attendance. More than a dozen people had come instead of the usual six to ten people. It was rare they had to use the spacious Wisteria room for these gatherings. Usually, it was reserved for special occasions like New Year. The other reason his relatives would turn up in droves was interesting news, or gossip more like.

Chiaki ignored the low murmur of conversations around him and focused instead on his meal. His appetite had returned after Inaba no longer avoided him and his weight was slowly returning to where it was. It had been embarrassing to realise that his loss of appetite had been an unconscious decision, for the most part.

_“And…I–” I thought you would finally look at me if my health had continued to worsen, the thought had surprised him and he had barely swallowed down the words before he said it._

It had been almost a month after their talk behind the gym and true to his words, Inaba had visited the school roof almost every day. They usually spent it in silence, just enjoying each other’s company, but often enough, they would talk about various topics. They ranged from school gossips, general news, irritating family members and antics on Chiaki’s part, and traditions from town all across Japan on Inaba’s part. It seemed Inaba had spent his childhood with a lot of travelling.

“Naomi-chan,” an older cousin, Kotone, cooed his name and Chiaki turned to her warily, “So, you have made up with your boyfriend?”

Chiaki choked and almost spat out the tea he had been drinking. His nose and throat burned as he coughed. Kotone had timed her question perfectly to get a reaction and now all eyes in the room were trained on him. Conversations around the room had died an untimely death.

“Naomi-chan, you have a boyfriend?” Chiaki could feel a headache coming as his mother’s delighted voice joined the conversation.

“No, I don’t,” Chiaki said forcefully.

“Eh, really? But I asked Nanase-san to follow you around since you seemed depressed a few weeks ago and I thought it might be a curse or something. And she showed me an interesting scene instead. You sure looked cozy with that student of yours, having a secret rendezvous on the school roof,” Kotone cooed teasingly.

Chiaki sputtered incoherently.

“A student? He is legal?” His brother asked sharply.

“Of course he is legal!” Chiaki realised what he said the moment the sentence left his mouth and inwardly groaned. Knowing his meddlesome family, they would take that statement as confirmation that he did have a boyfriend.

As expected, everyone was clamouring to be introduced to his supposed boyfriend. They were all such irritating busybodies. And very stubborn too. Before long, Chiaki had stopped his denials about having a boyfriend and instead refused to introduce him to the family.

“But this is the first time you show any interest in relationship! Your brother is married to his job so you are my only hope to see my child gets married,” his mother sobbed pitifully, crocodile tears trailing down her cheeks. Chiaki was not fooled.

“I’m not bringing him here, Mother. I’m leaving now. And Kotone, don’t spy on people and draw baseless assumptions!”

As he was leaving the room, Chiaki looked back and saw Kotone smiling mischievously while staring at him. He shivered. That evil woman was planning something, he was sure. He closed the door with a snap and left the compound quickly, practically running away. Maybe he shouldn’t come to the gathering next week.

“Idiot. He is not my boyfriend,” Chiaki muttered once he was in his car, safely alone.

From the moment Kotone mentioned a boyfriend, a face had flashed in his mind. Ruffled brown hair, warm brown eyes, and a soft, gentle smile. Inaba wasn’t his boyfriend, but Chiaki wanted him to be. He intended to ask once the other graduated, and he would like to stay by his side even if he ended up rejected. He thought Inaba might love him too, whenever the other looked at him with warm and gentle eyes, which was quite often. Sometimes though, the teen would get a distant look and his eyes would reflect loss and heartbreak and his smile was so sad it hurt just looking at him.

Chiaki didn’t know much of Inaba’s past. Only that the teen’s parents died in an accident when he was twelve and he had lived with a family friend until he was taken in by his aunt and uncle three years ago. And then he moved to his current apartment last year for unknown reason. Not even Tashiro could find anything. She only knew Inaba had a friend from his last school that he was still in touch with, Hase Mizuki. Anything before that time was a mystery.

Did he lost contact with his girlfriend or boyfriend because he moved here? Chiaki always wondered whenever that distant look graced Inaba’s face.

“Eh? Girlfriend? Why the sudden interest?”

Chiaki carefully didn’t glance at Inaba as he answered as nonchalantly as possible, “I’m just curious. Aren’t people your age supposed to be dating around or something?”

Damn Kotone and her questions. Now that he thought of Inaba in the term of boyfriend, he wanted to know about his chance.

“And aren’t people your age supposed to be getting married already?” Inaba countered dryly, but then he sighed and said quietly, “I have no interest in dating. It will be unfair on them when I’m still…”

Again with that distant look. Chiaki wondered what kind of person Inaba thought of when he got that look.

“Still?” Chiaki prodded.

Inaba blinked like coming out of a trance and shook his head with a smile. “Well, I just don’t have time for dating. I have my part-time job outside of school and the few days I’m off are better spent resting. Have I told you yet about my new tutoring job?”

Chiaki had a strong feeling it wasn’t the real reason Inaba didn’t date, but he didn’t show his disappointment as he let Inaba changed the topic.

Apparently, Inaba just got hired as a private English tutor for a middle schooler. It would be a two hour session per day, two days a week job. The pay was three times his current part time job, but it was only until the end of term. Chiaki thought it was a more fitting job for Inaba, whose English score was the highest in his year and can speak the language fluently.

In the end, Chiaki didn’t learn anything about Inaba’s past. It was a bit disappointing. Inaba knew so much about him, but Chiaki barely knew anything about him in return. Sometimes, it felt like there was a yawning distance between them. And Inaba, for all his kindness, always maintained that distance.


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Inaba's POV

There was a black BMW parked at the front gate of the school. One could count the number of rich students in Joutou with two hands. Understandably, the sight of such expensive car invited excited whispers and speculations.

“Whose do you think that is?” Tashiro asked, in full gossip mode. “There’s no way we are having a new student this far into the school year, isn’t it?”

“I doubt that. Don’t you think it’s just picking up one of the students?” Inaba asked drily.

“Geez, you have no imagination, Inaba-kun. Come on, we are going home right now. We might be able to see through the window of that car.”

Inaba jogged slowly after his classmate who was already running ahead outside. When he finally made it outside, Tashiro was loitering by the gate, suspiciously close to the mysterious car. Her hand fiddled with her pink phone.

“Inaba-kun, you are so slow!” She shouted when he was close enough to hear.

“Don’t involve me in your activity of dubious legality, Tashiro,” Inaba deadpanned.

Tashiro pouted, but before she could make any retort, a feminine voice called his name, “Excuse me, Inaba Yuushi-kun?”

The black-tinted window of the car had rolled down and sitting inside was a woman who looked to be in her early forty. Inaba felt like he had seen her somewhere although he couldn’t remember where.

An exorcist?

“Yes?” He asked warily.

“Ah, it’s nice to meet you. My name is Chiaki Kaoru. I’m Naomi-chan’s mother,” the woman introduced herself with a smile.

For a long moment, the words didn’t compute. He didn’t know anyone with the name Naomi. His female friends were only Tashiro and her friends, and Akine.

Although the name Chiaki was familiar…

His eyes widened as the dot finally connected. He took in the familiar shape and colour of her eyes, an exact replica to his teacher’s, down to the shade of violet of her iris.

“E-Eehhh?!” Behind him, Tashiro made a sound like a dying cat.

Inaba could relate with his friend’s surprise. The woman before him didn’t look a day over fifty. If he had to guess, he would put her age somewhere in the early forty, definitely not old enough to be the mother of 32 years old.

“Ah, do you want to talk to Chiaki…-sensei? I can tell him you are here,” Inaba offered awkwardly.

“No, no, actually I want to talk to you. Please come inside. I know a good restaurant in the shopping district,” Chiaki-san ordered politely.

A man who looked to be a bodyguard had stepped outside and opened the rear door. Brown eyes sharpened and met surprised violet ones unflinchingly. Inaba recognised a power play when he saw one. The exorcist community was full of such games after all, with the Matoba Clan being the best at it.

“Tashiro, see you tomorrow,” Inaba said his goodbye before stepping towards the car. “I will hear what you have to say, Chiaki-san.”

The ride to the shopping district was spent in complete silence, giving Inaba more than enough time to contemplate the reasons Chiaki’s mother would want to talk to him. The strongest possibility would be that she was concern over Chiaki’s and his closeness and how it would look to others. From what Chiaki had told him over their acquaintance, he came from a traditional family. To a family like that, reputation was always important. It was even possible that she wanted him to stay away from Chiaki.

His mind flashed to Chiaki’s expression when the man begged him not to shut him out. His resolve hardened. He had decided back then he wouldn’t make Chiaki get that kind of expression again and he would stand by it. If Chiaki’s mother wanted him to stay away from Chiaki, she would have to tell Chiaki herself.

“We are here.”

Inaba looked at the sign beside the entrance. It was a Japanese kaiseki restaurant, a fancy one that didn’t show the prices on their menu. It also provided private dining rooms.

“I will get straight to the point, what is your intention with Naomi-chan?” Chiaki-san asked once they were settled within a private room.

Inaba met the woman’s gaze evenly. “Chiaki is a friend and a teacher to me.”

Chiaki-san’s eyes narrowed. “Is that so? You know, Naomi-chan isn’t the type to like someone so easily. But when he loves, he gives it everything he had. He is a lot like me in this and I worry it’s going to hurt him.”

Inaba puzzled over her choice of words with a sense of dread. It was like she implied Chiaki was in love with him. But he couldn’t be more than friends with Chiaki, not when his loyalty was to Seiji-sama first and foremost. It wouldn’t be fair to Chiaki and he cared too much about the man to see him being second place in his partner’s priorities. Chiaki deserved someone who would put him first above everyone else.

“The one who get to be with him is a very lucky person,” Inaba said calmly.

Chiaki-san searched his eyes, her lips pursed thoughtfully, but they were interrupted when the foods came in. The manager came in followed by half a dozen servers bearing the dishes. The manager described each dish as it was set down and once everything was on the table, the guests were finally left alone again.

By silent agreement to halt their conversation, Inaba picked up his chopsticks and started on the meal, the actions echoed by Chiaki-san. Inaba closed his eyes to savour the unique taste of sea urchin. He then eyed the rest of the dishes, sea bream, eel, even snow crab. This meal must be very expensive. Inaba was in the middle of consuming the rice dish when the door was suddenly thrown open.

Chiaki stood in the doorway, sweating heavily, his face almost white, looking like he was seconds away from collapsing out of exhaustion. His eyes flicked towards Inaba for a moment before boring into the identical pair of his mother’s.

“Mother! What are you doing?” Chiaki practically seethed.

“I’m just introducing myself. Is it so wrong to want to talk with your boyfriend? And Naomi-chan, you should have told me about that! Why did I have to learn of it from Kotone-chan?”

Inaba was too busy being shocked to notice Chiaki’s horrified face. No wonder Chiaki-san practically threatened him not to hurt her son. She probably saw him as someone who only played with Chiaki’s feeling or maybe using his boyfriend status to get preferential treatment at school.

“Inaba…” Chiaki’s hesitant voice brought him out of his rumination. The man looked like he might be sick. His violet eyes were filled fear, which was something Inaba never wanted to see.

Inaba allowed warmth to seep into his voice and expressions instead of the polite distance he had been using with Chiaki’s mother. “Chiaki, you should sit. You look terrible. How do you feel?”

Chiaki took hesitant steps towards him and dropped into seiza beside him. Inaba was worried over how tense the man seemed to be.

What was Chiaki terrified of? He only looked angry when he came in. So…something his mother said?

Inaba glanced at Chiaki’s mother who was watching them, but more specifically Chiaki, with a concerned frown. He could understand her feeling. Chiaki looked to be one step away from fainting.

“Mother, Inaba is not my boyfriend. I already told all of you that last week, but you didn’t listen to me,” Chiaki said with frustrated voice.

“Naomi-chan, are you still denying it? Kotone said you have secret meetings on the roof, that sounds like romantic rendezvous to me,” Chiaki-san huffed.

Inaba froze at the information. That was impossible. Even if the talismans hadn’t work on some people, he had a few shiki doing surveillance. His shiki never reported anything about anyone coming to the roof when they were there and none of them was ever disabled.

Chiaki-san wasn’t done though and her next statement gave Inaba a clearer view of the situation.

“Even Nanase-san commented that you two looked like a nice couple.”

That name rang a bell, a rather loud one.

“Nanase-san? As in a member of the Matoba Clan?” Inaba interrupted.

Two pairs of eyes snapped to him in surprise. Chiaki-san was the one who answered, “Yes, do you know her?”

Nanase-san definitely knew him enough to know he loved Chiaki in his own way, but… “Yes, I know her quite well although we often didn’t see eye to eye. I better find out what she wants,” Inaba muttered. He got up to leave. “Chiaki, Chiaki-san, I’m leaving first. Thank you for the meal, Chiaki-san.”


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chiaki's POV

_Chiaki walked to the Faculty Lounge to have a smoke. Around him, the students still lingering all talked about pretty much the same thing. He found it pretty amusing, their reactions to an expensive car. He knew there was no new student transfer at this time, but he had answered vaguely every time someone stopped him to ask about it._

_“Chiaki-chan!” A female voice shouted over the conversations in the corridor. When he turned to look, Tashiro was running full tilt towards him, bulldozing others in her way. She was unusually flustered._

_“Tashiro, what is it? You don’t have club activity today, do you?” Chiaki knew the English Conversation club schedule because of Inaba, so he knew Tashiro should be on the way home at this time._

_Tashiro looked around suspiciously and leant closer to whisper in his ear, “Your mother just kidnapped Inaba-kun.”_

_Chiaki gasped. There could only be one reason his mother showed any interest in Inaba. She must be curious about his supposed boyfriend! Shit! If she told him…_

_“Do you know where they went?” Chiaki asked urgently._

_“Well, she said something about knowing a good restaurant in the shopping district,” Tashiro answered with wide eyes._

_There were only a handful of restaurants his mother considered good. If he was fast enough, they might not have had enough time to talk much before they had to eat. And knowing his mother, they would eat first once their foods arrived._

_Chiaki ran for his car. “Thanks, Tashiro!” He shouted over his shoulder._

Chiaki had driven to the shopping district as fast as possible, breaking the speed limit in his hurry. And then he had checked the seven restaurants he knew were his mother’s favourites. He had ran from one side of the shopping street to the other, getting a few dizzy spells before he found the right one.

And then his mother told Inaba of Kotone’s misassumption and fear took over his thoughts. What if Inaba pulled away from him again because of this, only this time permanently? When Inaba’s voice penetrated the fog of fear, he took comfort in the warmth that still suffused the concerned words. Still, he had to fix this.

“Mother, Inaba is not my boyfriend,” Chiaki repeated the statement he had said again and again last week. Hopefully this time his mother would accept it without Kotone fanning the flame of gossip.

Of course, it was a futile attempt on his part. His mother could be very stubborn once she had an idea in her head, especially an idea that made her happy like him finally being in a relationship.

And then, everything took a turn to the bizarre as Inaba apparently also knew Nanase-san. But it also shone another light on the exorcist’s motive, a thought which was shared by Inaba as the teen prepared to leave to hunt down their mutual acquaintance.

Before he knew it, Chiaki was also on his feet, reaching out for Inaba and calling his name desperately. The world tilt and he let out a surprised sound as the floor came at him with frightening speed. A white-clad chest stopped his fall and arms came around his waist to keep him upright. His own hands were clenched into white shirt, creasing the smooth fabric, a result of catching the nearest object to break his fall. The arousing scent of sandalwood and the warmth of another’s body caused him to flush as he realised how close he was to the one he had dreamed about.

“Chiaki, you should lie down for a bit,” Inaba said, gently lowering his body to the floor.

Chiaki lied down obediently, but he held onto Inaba’s sleeve. He looked up at the teen and said quietly, “Don’t leave.”

“Alright,” Inaba acquiesced easily, one hand brushed Chiaki’s hair comfortingly.

Chiaki closed his eyes and relaxed. His grip on Inaba’s sleeve loosened, but Inaba didn’t pull away.

“I can see you care about my son very much,” his mother’s voice intruded on his peaceful rest.

There was the slightest pause that almost went unnoticed before Inaba answered, “Chiaki is my friend. Of course I care about him.”

“I see…” his mother said in a tone that spelled disbelief. Thankfully, she dropped the subject and asked about Inaba’s relation with Nanase-san. Chiaki listened carefully to the conversation, fully prepared to intervene if his mother pushed too much.

This time, Inaba’s silence was long enough for Chiaki to open his eyes. He froze at the expression on Inaba’s face, a heavily contemplative look he had never seen before.

“I was a member of the Matoba Clan until three years ago so I did know her pretty well. She is usually above gossiping, especially with a client. Him, on the other hand…”

Chiaki didn’t know who it was Inaba meant and Inaba didn’t explain further. Still, this was the first time he heard Inaba had anything to do with the Matoba. It must be part of his past Inaba never talked about. Chiaki closed his eyes again as his mother started interrogating Inaba about school, hobbies, and other inane things. He knew all of those things already.

“Chiaki…Chiaki, wake up.” Someone was shaking him. Chiaki groaned and turned on his side, intent on going back to sleep. The hand retreated and Chiaki sighed contentedly.

“Naomi-chan, if you don’t wake up, I’m going to tell Inaba-kun your most embarrassing story. Do you remember that time we went to your uncle’s house in Kanazawa?”

Chiaki’s eyes snapped open and he scrambled to sit up. “I’m up, I’m up!”

A low chuckle stopped him from glaring at his mother and he looked over at Inaba. The teen was looking at him fondly, amusement dancing in his eyes. Inaba then stretched his hand towards him. Chiaki stared at the approaching limb with his heart beating loudly in his chest. And blinked when it landed on his head.

Inaba had a small grin on his face. “You have bed head.”

“Oi!” Chiaki glared and drew back from the offending hand. His own hands came up to fix his hair.

“If you’re done, you should eat. It’s time for dinner anyway,” Inaba told him.

Chiaki looked up with alarm. “What? What time is this? How long have I been asleep?”

“It’s barely past six. You only slept for an hour,” Inaba assured him.

“You should have woke me up,” Chiaki grumbled. He shifted closer to the table to start on the meal. Somehow, while he had been sleeping, his mother had put in another order for him and the server had come in with the foods. “Itadakimasu.”

Once Chiaki finished and his mother went to settle the bill, leaving Inaba and he in the room, Chiaki grabbed Inaba’s wrist to stop him from leaving.

“I’m sorry I couldn’t convince my family that we’re not dating,” the words rushed out of his mouth and he ducked his head while waiting for Inaba’s reaction.

There was a long pause during which Chiaki’s hands started to shake with fear. But then Inaba pulled him into a hug and Chiaki slowly calmed.

“Is this what you are terrified of, earlier?” Chiaki clenched Inaba’s shirt tighter in response and the teen sighed. “It’s alright, Chiaki. I will hardly be angry with you for something that isn’t your fault. Besides, why should I care if they think we are dating or fucking? The chance of the school hearing about it is very little and as long as it doesn’t go back to the school, they can say anything they want. Unless it makes you uncomfortable?”

Only because I want it to be true, Chiaki thought wistfully as he shook his head. He reluctantly stepped away from Inaba. “Sorry, I’m fine now. Come on, mother must be waiting outside. Do you want me to drive you back to your apartment?”

Chiaki was disappointed when Inaba refused his offer but he hid it with a smile. His mother was waiting outside when they came out. Her car was already idling at her side, so Chiaki kissed her goodbye and Inaba politely wished her a safe trip. And it was just them again and they said their goodbyes in front of the restaurant. Chiaki watched Inaba until he disappeared at an intersection.


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Inaba's POV

The park was deserted this late into the night but as Inaba walked deeper, a shadow detached itself from a tree. Matoba Seiji walked into the light and Inaba automatically dropped to one knee in front him.

“Seiji-sama.”

The dark-haired man sighed with disappointment. “I’m not your Master anymore, Yuushi.”

“‘You will have my loyalty for as long as I live’, do you remember? It doesn’t matter that I’m no longer of the Clan.”

“Yes, but I would rather have your loyalty as a friend, not a Master. I always hate being your Master. We were friends first, weren’t we?”

Inaba hesitated for just a moment before rising from his subservient position. He always knew when his mas– Seiji faked an emotion and the desperation on his face and body language right now rang true. Inaba knew the young Clan Head hated their position as master and subordinate, hated that as the Clan Head he had to put the Clan first. So Inaba often had taken the decision from Seiji’s hands so he didn’t have to choose between duty and friend. Seiji had hated that too.

The request put a bit of a perspective on the situation with Chiaki though. Nanase-san wasn’t the type to relay unconfirmed news to her client, but if the Clan Head himself ordered her to… The strangeness of Nanase-san’s action had made him realised the person behind it. It wasn’t above the Seiji he knew to meddle in his affairs. Now, Inaba realised it wasn’t just Seiji doing something to see how it went, but to give his blessing if Inaba wanted to form a romantic relationship and shift his first loyalty to Chiaki.

“Seiji-sa– Seiji…”

Seiji smiled at his loss of word, the kind smile only a few people knew he was capable of. “Can we just be friends, Yuushi?”

“Ah,” Inaba closed his eyes and smiled, “Thank you, Seiji.”

“It has been a long time since you call me just Seiji. I like it.”

They walked together out of the park, side by side this time instead of with Inaba one step behind. Inaba glanced to the side and smiled at the content look on his friend’s face. He then told him about his relatives, the interesting Youkai Apartment he stumbled upon, and school. In return, Seiji complained about an interesting boy he had met several times who could see youkai.

“He is as soft as you, but you at least gave back as good as you got. That boy, on the other hand, will get himself killed by yokai one of these days.”

Inaba tilted his head towards the sky. That, actually sounded like Seiji cared about the boy, Natsume. He hummed thoughtfully.

Seiji suddenly stopped and Inaba also a heartbeat later. One dark eye was eyeing him suspiciously. “That never sounded good,” Seiji muttered.

Inaba smiled innocently. “What do you mean?”

“Whatever it is you are planning, stop. It never ended well for me.”

“Saa, but you are not my master anymore, Seiji,” Inaba replied mockingly. A second later, he was running away with Seiji hot on his heels. His laughter and Seiji’s protests rang around the empty park.

They used to do this when they were children, Inaba remembered.

Before he realised Seiji’s position within the Clan and he formally offered his loyalty, not to the then Clan Head as it should have been done, but to the then Clan Heir. Most people thought of it as the action of an ignorant child, but even as young as ten years old, Inaba fully understood the weight of his action. That he was slighting the Clan Head and that there could be consequences if the Head had taken offence. As it was, Seiji’s father had just laughed at his boldness and let him off without punishment.

“I would love to meet him though, this Natsume. So, where does he lives?”

Seiji smirked and Inaba immediately felt nervous. It seemed the older male had found a way to get back at him. That was fast.

“Then I will have to meet your Chiaki sometime soon, eh?”

Inaba heaved a deep sigh. “I guess I should expect that. Alright, deal. So where is it?”

“It’s a small town half an hour south of Tottori, on the west side of Mt Misumi. He lives with a couple named Fujiwara. Be careful though, he usually has a strong yokai masquerading as a fortune cat with him, and Natori-san has taken a liking to him. That man intercepted every mission to Natsume-kun’s area.”

“An interesting boy, indeed,” Inaba muttered.

“Well, I will see you again then. Send me a shiki if you are in the area and we can meet up. You are terrible at keeping contact.”

“I’m supposed to have lost my power, but I will send you a message.”

Inaba yawned as he walked to class. Last night he had only arrived back at the apartment after midnight. He had had to slip away and hide from a patrol along the way as it was already well past curfew by the time he left the park. And he had had to take a circuitous route devoid of people since he was still wearing his school uniform.

By lunch break, Inaba could barely keep his eyes opened and he actually contemplated staying in the classroom to sleep but he imagined Chiaki’s disappointed face and reconsidered. He ended up going to the roof after dithering for another minute. He could just sleep on the roof.

“Late night?” Chiaki’s voice came to him.

Inaba blinked and looked around confusedly. It was the roof. Ah, yes, he performed a tracking spell and created a shiki to find Seiji-sama yesterday, didn’t he? No wonder he was so tired. His eyelids felt heavy. Hmm, that bit of floor looked nice, he thought dazedly.

A moment later, he was off into dreamland, where he could hear someone distantly calling his name. He ignored it and sunk deeper into the comforting darkness.


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chiaki's POV

Chiaki gazed at the sleeping teen with worry. This was the first time he had seen Inaba slept on school ground. And when the younger man had appeared on the roof, he had looked so out of it. Chiaki knew there had been no part time job yesterday and they had parted ways in the shopping district barely into the evening.

“What were you doing, Inaba?” Chiaki whispered softly, the question not being aimed at anyone in particular.

Unconsciously, his hand reached out and touched the soft brown hair. Chiaki jolted back to awareness the moment it made contact and retracted his hand like it had touched a live wire. His face flushed and he glanced at the sleeping teen. Only, his gaze met amused brown eyes and raised eyebrows.

“I-Inaba!”

Inaba shifted so he was sitting in his usual spot beside Chiaki and stretched his arms up in the air with a tired groan. He still seemed tired but certainly more refreshed than when he came up here. Chiaki still worried.

“You can sleep longer. There’s more than half an hour until the bell.”

Inaba tilted his head and asked teasingly, “So you can play more with my hair?”

Chiaki blushed. “T-That’s– I’m not–”

“You are so easily flustered.” Inaba chuckled, and then added in a serious voice, “It’s cute.”

Chiaki stared at the other wide-eyed, his cheeks burned, and his heart thumped a loud, fast beat.

Was Inaba flirting with him?

“Chiaki?” A hand touched his forehead. “Are you alright? You feel a bit warm.”

Chiaki drew back rapidly and stuttered out something that hopefully sounded like ‘fine’. He looked away to hide his disappointment. Of course Inaba wasn’t flirting with him. It was just his feeling for the younger male that twisted a simple teasing into something it wasn’t.

When he turned back towards Inaba, the teen had a conflicted expression on his face. Inaba then noticed his gaze and smiled wryly. “You know, I met an old friend last night. He was the one who told Nanase-san to tell your relative about us.”

“Why did he…?” Chiaki prompted when it looked like Inaba was lost in thought.

“Ah, that’s because he knew I love you, and he is a meddlesome bastard.”

Chiaki stared open-mouthed disbelief. Surely he must’ve heard wrong, his mind was playing tricks on him, again. Or Inaba only meant it as a friend. He shouldn’t get his hope up.

“Is it true? Are you in love with me, romantically?” was what came out of his mouth, so filled with desperate hope he almost winced.

“Yes. It was too late to back out by the time I realised,” Inaba smiled helplessly.

“I-I love you too.”

Inaba’s lips quirked up in amusement. “I know. I have known since that time I made you cry and I’m sorry again for that.”

Chiaki moved closer to Inaba and leant against the teen’s side. It was warm. He closed his eyes contentedly. He could stay like this for hours.

“After I graduate, you won’t be my teacher anymore,” Inaba said quietly. There was something in his voice that drew Chiaki’s attention. Inaba’s eyes met his confidently. “I will court you properly then,” Inaba promised.

Chiaki believed him. “Even if it takes years, I will wait for you,” he whispered.

Inaba took his hand and laced their fingers together, his hold firm yet gentle. They stayed in that position, talking about all kind of topics, until the bell rang.

For the rest of the day, Chiaki tried hard to hide his happiness, but quite a few teachers and even students still asked him about his unusually positive mood. He gave them a half truth about falling in love and having it reciprocated and soon enough the whole school had heard about his love life, complete with untrue embellishments that came from the gossip mill. Apparently, he now had a charming and intelligent girlfriend with silky brown hair and lovely chocolate eyes. All of those were actually true except the girlfriend part. From the way Tashiro winked at him conspiratorially, he could guess the source of that information, and misinformation.

His elation carried over for the rest of the week and then some. He was caught daydreaming a few times and he got teased endlessly for being so smitten, but he couldn’t bring himself to care enough.

On the next family gathering, his mother caught his eyes and after a quick flicker of surprise, smiled resignedly. She walked him to the gates along with everyone who didn’t live in the family compound.

“So you and Inaba-kun are really together now?” His mother asked knowingly.

“Yes. He told me that he loves me too.”

His mother sighed. “I don’t want you to get hurt, Naomi-chan. He will find someone closer to his age and they will fall in love. Where will you be then?”

“He is not father,” Chiaki replied fiercely. Still, even the possibility of Inaba loving someone else made his heart quivered with dread.

“Your father did not set out to hurt me too. He loved me when we got married, but maybe not as much as I loved, still love, him.”

“Even if he ended up with someone else a few years from now, I still want to take this chance. Didn’t you feel that way too, with father?”

His mother sighed sadly but nodded in understanding. “You really are my son. I hope Inaba-kun is a better person than your father.”

Chiaki thought of Inaba’s thoughtful worry and fierce protectiveness over him, the warm eyes and gentle hands. Inaba would never knowingly hurt him. “He might hurt me,” Chiaki remembered the miserable time when Inaba avoided him, but he had also seen the shock and regret that flashed across Inaba’s usually calm countenance, “But he will never do it knowingly.”

The hidden kernel of doubt Chiaki didn’t even realise was there disappeared with his declaration.


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Inaba's POV
> 
> \---
> 
> I intend to write part two for Inaba's Third Year, but I'm still thinking about what situations to put them in. I would really appreciate any idea. So far, I have 'Inaba meets Natsume (Natsume Yuujincho)' and 'Chiaki meets Youkai Apartment inhabitants' during spring break, 'Kyoto field trip' during first term, 'Chiaki gets jealous of Hase' to be slipped in somewhere, and finally 'Graduation Day' where they will officially date.

The school term flew by quickly with everything that happened between Chiaki and him. In what felt like no time at all, it was already the end of term exams. Both of them were busy from weeks before the exams, Inaba with his studies and part time jobs, and Chiaki with counselling and grading. They didn’t see each other much in those weeks leading to the exams, both had agreed to stop coming to the roof during lunch, but Inaba always made sure to talk to Chiaki every day, even if it was only five minutes in the corridor.

“Chiaki-sama hasn’t eaten lunch yet, Master,” Fool reported dutifully.

Inaba looked up from the collection of books sprawled on the table in front of him. He frowned at the spirit.

“Again?” He muttered. He began tidying up the books and returning them to the shelves. 

This was the three days in a row Chiaki had forgotten to eat lunch and had to be reminded. He seemed to have a lot of grading to do and it was affecting his health.

“He is in the Faculty Office as usual,” Fool informed primly before his tone changed drastically into a whine, “Really, Master, I’m happy you are finally using me, but couldn’t you find any other duties for me? I don’t like being away from you for so long.”

“And I’m grateful you are doing this for me, Fool. Chiaki is someone very important to me, but I can’t check on him right now. That’s why I need you to do this.”

Fool flushed with pleasure at the praise. “Of course I will monitor Chiaki-sama’s health for you, Master!”

Inaba was amused at how easily satisfied the spirit was. Still, what he said was true. If he didn’t have the Petit, he would have to use a shiki and that needed more power which might caused him to feel drained for the rest of the day. Besides, shiki was less effective than the spirit in monitoring someone since he would have to control it to do its job.

He walked out of the library and headed into the school building, straight towards the Faculty Office. Four days until exams, it was unusually clear of students in the corridor. Most of them were studying either in their classrooms or the library like him. When he arrived at his destination, almost all the teachers were inside at their desks, although only a few were actually still working, Chiaki included.

He knocked on the door and called, “Chiaki-sensei, can I talk to you for a minute?”

Chiaki turned and gave him an unreadable look. Worry churned in his gut and he silently stepped aside to let Chiaki passed and led the way to an empty classroom. Chiaki was abnormally quiet. This stillness reminded him of that time at the back of the gym building.

The moment the door closed behind him, Chiaki slammed him against the wall and buried his face in his shoulder. Inaba carefully wrapped his arms around the older man.

“I missed you,” Chiaki’s voice was muffled against his shirt but still audible with how close they were.

“Be patient, it’s only until the exams are over. And I talk to you everyday.”

Chiaki pushed against his chest and glared at him. “Only for a few minutes, less if I didn’t get to prolong it! And they are mere pleasantries! And…and I hate how you look at me…! It’s like I don’t matter to you at all…”

“Of course you matter. You are important to me, but we are at school and I’m your student.”

“I know.”

Inaba couldn’t bear the disappointment thick in that voice. “We will meet outside school,” he offered. “There’s a lake twenty minutes north of Takanodai station. We can meet at the park on the eastern shore.”

“A-are you sure?” Chiaki sounded hopeful.

“I don’t have to do any tutoring today, so I should be there by 6 pm,” Inaba promised.

“I’ll be there.”

“Now, you should get some lunch,” Inaba ordered.

Chiaki avoided his gaze and muttered, “Again? Yesterday and the day before too… How do you always know?”

“I set a spirit to follow you around,” Inaba answered truthfully. Chiaki gaped at him and Inaba bulldozed over any possible complaints. “What did I say about taking care of yourself? You need to eat and sleep properly. Maybe I should ask Ruriko-san to make you a bento everyday…”

“I just forgot! I have a lot to do, and…I’m often distracted because I miss you… Sorry, I’m being silly…” Chiaki tried to laugh it off, but there was such sadness in his eyes Inaba wanted to kiss it away.

He kissed Chiaki’s temple.

Chiaki stared at him, stunned. Inaba looked away from those intense violet eyes and pushed Chiaki away. They had stayed here long enough.

“We should go. You should get some lunch from the cafeteria, lunch almost ended. And after school, the lake at 6 pm,” he reminded before leaving the classroom.

He made sure his face didn’t show any of the emotions fluttering in his gut like a swarm of overly excited butterflies. It was a mistake to kiss Chiaki back there. If someone saw anyone of them, their secret would be blown wide open and it would Chiaki who had to pay the price. He should have better control over his actions. They would meet later anyway.

Inaba slipped into the toilet, thankfully empty, and splashed water onto his face. He sighed. It used to be easier to contain his emotions. Dealing with youkai and exorcists was dangerous business and he couldn’t show any weakness in public. The same applied with his relationship with Chiaki, but he found it hard to contain his reactions to the man’s mere presence.

That evening, he came prepared with a picnic. He had sent Jinn with a message earlier in the afternoon and Ruriko-san was kind enough to make him a feast on such short notice. But even with his detour to the apartment, he had made it here in good time. There was still an hour before their meeting time.

A shadow suddenly moved near the lake.

His feet automatically brought him behind a tree, safely hidden from the unknown person occupying the meeting spot. A moment later, the person moved and the moonlight fell on familiar red hair.

Inaba smiled and stepped out of his hiding place. “Chiaki!”

Chiaki turned and his smile lit up his eyes. Inaba jogged over and dropped his baggage on the ground a few meters from the shore.

“A picnic?” Chiaki asked.

“Yes, since it’s time for dinner anyway.” Inaba started arranging the checkered cloth and bento boxes. And then he scattered the dozens of paper cranes he had prepared and chanted a spell. The cranes began to glow and slowly, they flapped their wings and flew around the two of them.

Chiaki looked around in wonder and sighed. “They are beautiful.”

With the glowing paper cranes flying around and being reflected on the lake’s dark surface, it was truly a beautiful background for their first date. And the rest of the evening went just as smoothly, filled with Ruriko’s delicious foods and lively chats. Inaba couldn’t remember everything they talked about, but he remembered subtle fragrance of Chiaki’s cologne when the man leant closer, the low voice as Chiaki shared an interesting experience, and their laughters drifting in the wind. It was one of the best evenings in his life, Inaba decided.


End file.
